


Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Darkness

by devereauxr



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-24 15:42:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9768611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devereauxr/pseuds/devereauxr
Summary: Follow Xehanort, as he escapes Destiny Islands, and begins his journey to becoming one of the most powerful Keyblade wielders in the franchise. Birth by Darkness is the opening act and will set the motivations of the thrilling trilogy of Xehanort's rise. See the birth of a warrior, witness the rise of a hero, and follow the descent into darkness. By the end of this tale, will you question the darkness?





	1. Prolouge

" _In ancient times people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts._

_However, Kingdom Hearts was safeguarded by its counterpart the X-Blade._

_Warriors vied for that precious light thus beginning the Keyblade War._

_But the violent clash shattered the X-Blade into twenty pieces._

_Seven of light...and thirteen of darkness._ "

* * *

**Part I: Awakening**

**Prologue**

In a barren wasteland, where rusted and lifeless keys once waged war, stood a man of an elder age. The land itself was scarred and ravaged but had otherwise lain untouched by anything other than time. Surrounding the man were once powerful Keyblades, each wielded by the ancient Chasers of Light and the infamous Seekers of Darkness. The man stood there with his eyes closed as a gentle breeze lightly ruffled his long jacket. He then turned and opened his eyes, their golden sheen reflecting the setting sun. A young boy of seventeen stood before him. The boy too had golden colored eyes, they bore the same look of unquenchable curiosity the elder man had once wore. He wore a sleeveless grey jacket over a white shirt with matching grey pants. His hair was a long mane of silver, and he had the developed tan of an islander. Like the elder man, that stood before him this boy's name was Xehanort. The two contemplated each other before one of them spoke.

"Who are you?" asked the younger Xehanort.

The elder man just waved his hand, and three weapons appeared before him.

The man pointed to three weapons and spoke in a gnarled voice. "Power sleeps within you. If you give it form, it will give you strength."

The elder Xehanort pointed at the first weapon a magnificent sword.

"Power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction," said the elder Xehanort.

He pointed to the next weapon a mighty shield. "Power of the guardian. Kindness to aid friends. A shield to repel all."

Finally, he pointed to the last weapon a magical staff."Power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin."

The elder Xehanort pointed to the young boy before him.

"Choose!" he shouted.

The younger Xehanort contemplated for a moment before reaching for the sword. The sword disappeared in a flash of light, and Xehanort felt a pulse of power flow through him. The elder Xehanort lifted his hand and summoned a Keyblade much like the ones that surrounded him. A creepy smile played across his face as he opened his mouth and spoke. "Your heart belongs again to darkness."

He swung his Keyblade in a powerful arc, sending a strong gust of wind swirling towards his younger counterpart. The ground beneath them began to tremble as powerful gusts wind forcefully blew the lifeless Keyblades from the ground. The elder Xehanort smiled as darkness began to ravage the surrounding land. The ground cracked as the younger Xehanort struggled to stay to his feet. The darkness swallowed everything, pulling Xehanort into its depths. As Xehanort felt himself lose consciousness the last thing he saw was the smile of his elder counterpart.

...

The world where nothing gathered. Existing on the edges of both light and darkness. Inhabited by those never supposed to exist, this world was made up of discarded remains left behind by other worlds. The once scattered pieces now formed magnificent skyscrapers. In the center of the city was an airborne fortress that floated in the sky, dominating its view. In it's highest tower top Xehanort regained his consciousness. He stood up and gauged his surroundings. Before him stood a large muscular man wearing a large black hooded coat. The man's hood was up, and his back was faced towards Xehanort as he looked up to the sky.

"Who are you?" asked Xehanort.

The man turned towards Xehanort and lifted back his hood. He wore a long mane of messy silver hair and he too had golden eyes. The man lifted his hand and the word 'Ansem' appeared. The man flicked his wrist and the letters started to swirl around him. Finally, the man flicked his wrist once more. As he did, an X was added to the now scrambled name. The name now spelled 'Xemnas'.

He opened his mouth and spoke in a deep silky voice. "I am what's left or maybe I'm all there ever was."

Xemnas turned around and lifted his hands to the sky. As he did images of countless worlds appeared before him. Xehanort stepped back and gaped in awe at what he saw. Xemnas turned on the spot and smiled. Lifting his hand, he summoned a Keyblade. It was the very same one wielded by the man before him.

"All worlds begin in darkness-" he said in his enigmatic voice.

He pointed his Keyblade at the worlds above and shot a beam of darkness to the sky. The darkness swallowed the worlds as the castle itself began to tremble and collapse. Once again Xehanort found himself struggling to stay on his feet as the castle began to crumble beneath him. Xehanort felt himself slip once more into the darkness as he caught one last glimpse of Xemnas.

...

Xehanort awoke next in complete shadows. No floor could be seen and he appeared to be floating in mid-air. He looked around and gasped in awe. In front of him, the decimated remains of worlds Xemnas had displayed earlier floated before him. Even more troubling were the massive balls of energy that were congregating from those remains and moving towards each other.

"The inevitable reality of all worlds is ironic is it not?" asked a menacing voice.

Xehanort turned around and was met with a sneering face. He had a similar appearance to Xemnas but his face and attire bore an uncanny resemblance to the elder man he originally met.

"What do you mean? Who are you? What's going on here?" asked Xehanort.

The man let out a bone chilling laugh and pointed to the remains of the worlds.

"The worlds you see before have succumbed to the power of darkness. Just like myself they have cast aside their shackles and embraced the darkness. Their hearts are now free to reunite as a collective whole," he said.

Xehanort shook his head and pointed to the senseless destruction.

"This doesn't seem right, though," he said.

The man laughed once more. "You understand so little. One who knows nothing can understand NOTHING!" he said.

He pointed to the world's hearts "Each world is born from darkness emerging into the world of light. From there it spends its entire existence being protected from the very source from which it came. That protection acts as it's prison forever confined by the light. You see darkness' true essence is freedom, a freedom all hearts inevitably crave!" he cried.

Xehanort looked at him and asked once more. "Who are you?"

The man lifted his hands to the air summoning a Keyblade, the same one as his predecessors."It is I Ansem the Purveyor of Freedom, the Seeker of Darkness!" he shouted.

Darkness began pouring out from Ansem's body and began engulfing the entire area. "So all world's begin-" Ansem shouted, as the darkness began to entrap Xehanort pulling him lower and lower into its depths. "-and all so end!" he finished.

...

A magnificent, and beautiful kingdom; known throughout the worlds as the City of Light. In the central square just outside the main town, stood a man who radiated great power. He looked very similar to Xemnas, but with a much shorter crop of silver hair. His attire looked out of place compared to the world that surrounded him. He was dressed in the traditional garb of the ancient Keyblade Warriors. The man's golden eyes had a dazed look almost as if he was not quite sure where he really was. As Xehanort came to the man looked down at him. Xehanort pushed himself up and took a cautious step forward.

"What is it you guys are trying to show me?" asked Xehanort.

The man reached out and grabbed Xehanort by the throat. He then lifted Xehanort off the ground with startling strength. "Who am I?" he asked.

Xehanort struggled against the man's grip when he was abruptly dropped to the ground. The man suddenly doubled over in pain clutching his head with both hands. He then stood up and opened his eyes, a dark smirk painted on his lips. He summoned his Keyblade the same one wielded by all the others and spoke.

"You think yourself so different?" he asked.

He swung his Keyblade in a heavy downward arc that Xehanort swiftly dodged.

The man let out a diabolical laugh. " I will guide you to the depths of darkness! Only there will you find the one truth that matters!" he shouted.

The man tossed his Keyblade into the air and caught it. He followed up by planting his Keyblade firmly into the ground as it crackled with dark energy. As darkness poured from the man's Keyblade he pointed at Xehanort and shouted.

"Your heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it. It grows, consumes it. Such is its nature!" he shouted.

Suddenly an explosion of dark energy erupted from his Keyblade knocking Xehanort unconscious.

...

Xehanort awoke to the familiar sound of waves gently washing over the pristine beach. He got up and found he was now on one the islands of his home. This particular island was familiar to him as he had spent many a childhood hours playing here. He had even built many of the tree houses with the help of his father.

"Was it all a dream?" he asked aloud.

He walked towards the water and looked out to the setting sun. He thought about what he had seen. However, he found that thinking about it brought only more questions. He sighed in frustration at the limited answers his home provided to his many questions. Questions of a world much larger than his own. The very idea of it made Xehanort feel tiny and insignificant. He stared out to the vast stretches of the sky that lay before him.

"This world is just too small," he said aloud.

He looked over to his left and saw a boy with a black coat standing on the island across the bridge. The hooded figure too looked out at the sunset and instinctively Xehanort knew they had both been thinking about the same thing. Xehanort jumped up onto the bridge and crossed it. He approached the black hooded figure

"Xemnas?" asked Xehanort.

The figure turned around and removed his hood as Xehanort stepped back in shock. This time, Xehanort definitively recognized who he was. Standing before him was an exact doppelganger of himself. The two Xehanorts stared at each other, their golden eyes reflecting one another. The black coated Xehanort lifted his hand offering it to Xehanort as he spoke.

"In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came," he said.

The black coated Xehanort turned around as an aura of darkness erupted from his body and consumed the entire island.


	2. Chapter I: The Power Within

" _Sharpen your fear into rage. You must! If you do not let the storm within you run its course it will wipe you from the face of the world make no mistake!_ "-Master Xehanort

* * *

Complete and consuming darkness surrounded Xehanort. He felt his very essence fading away. The darkness threatened to consume him as Xehanort willed himself to resist it.

"The darkness is nothing to fear..I can fight this!" he shouted to no one.

It was at that moment that no one decided to answer him.

" _Do you truly believe that?_ " asked a disembodied voice.

Xehanort wearily looked around still struggling against the darkness that fought destroy him.

" _Most people would believe that darkness equates an ending. Do you truly believe you can fight against something like that_?" asked the voice.

"I'm still here..I..I haven't ended yet," Xehanort replied.

" _This is true but darkness cannot be destroyed it can only be channeled. You've done well to last this long but you've only done so because you've willed yourself to survive. You've accepted that the darkness is not the end. Now all you have to do is seize control of it. The darkness will end you unless you do,_ " said the voice.

Xehanort reached out into the darkness feeling it's aura surround him. He could feel the tendrils of its power touch him as he willed it to do his bidding. He could feel his weariness slip away as he began to come out of his previous state of despair. He willed the darkness to dissipate and as he did he saw a growing light in the distance.

" _Well done..perhaps you are the one,_ " said the voice.

The light in the distance grew brighter with each passing moment.

"I don't understand," said Xehanort.

" _It matters not. You showed no fear in controlling your own darkness. It is every bit a part of you as your light is. In the time before the worlds, people thought the light was the only way. In the end, they ended up consumed by the darkness they brought into the world because they knew naught how to control it. Remember this as you walk down the path your heart has laid out for you. If you do not let the storm within you run it's course it will destroy you,_ " said the voice.

The light now burned with a ferocious intensity consuming all the darkness.

"But who are you? What does all this mean?" asked Xehanort.

The voice responded without answering Xehanort's questions. " _Your path is set. On it our goals will align,_ " it said.

Xehanort shielded his eyes as the light filled the room. The last thing he heard was the voice.

" _Good luck...Xehanort_..."

...

"Xehanort...Xehanort...XEHANORT!"

Xehanort awoke abruptly as he nearly fell from his bed. He looked up and saw his father towering over him. Xehanort closed his eyes and tried to capture the details of his strange dream. However, he could already feel bits of it slipping through the cracks of his memory. As he tried retaining what little he could to memory, he was met with a smack to the forehead.

"Xehanort! Are you really going to go back to sleep right in front of me? You're the one who asked me to train with you today," laughed his father.

Xehanort sat up swiftly. He nearly forgot about the special training he had asked his father for two days ago.

Xehanort smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Father I was just pondering this dream I had," he said.

Xehanort's father raised an eyebrow with a knowing look. "I'm surprised your brain doesn't explode with all the pondering you do," he said with a laugh.

Xehanort's dad walked out of the room and headed downstairs. "Meet me at the usual place in fifteen minutes.. that is if you're not too tired to row the boat over there," he said with a wink.

Xehanort quickly got dressed and grabbed his practice blade before heading downstairs. He kissed his mother goodbye and headed out to the rowboat to meet his father.

...

Fifteen minutes later Xehanort was on the defense as he engaged his father in a warm up spar. He jumped backward and blocked the heavy downward strike his father had just aimed at him. His father then proceeded to let loose a flurry of slashes attempting to create an opening. Xehanort, however, was very familiar with this tactic and pivoted himself from side to side with nearly flawless footing. His father then initiated a powerful forward thrust. Quickly reacting Xehanort slid to the outside of his father's guard. Xehanort then twisted backward, bringing his blade into an upward arc, and knocking his father's sword out of his hand. In the next moment, Xehanort used his blade to sweep his father's feet from under him, and pointed his sword at his father's throat, signifying the end of the duel. His father let out a hearty laugh as Xehanort offered him his hand to help him up.

"That was a good one son," he said.

Xehanort laughed as well, at least his father was always a good sport.

"I think you're finally strong enough to handle your own Aura Weapon," said his father.

Xehanort looked up in excitement; this was what he had been waiting for after all these months of training.

"Now as you know the heart is a powerful weapon," said his father.

Xehanort nodded having had the value of a strong heart beat into his head over the past few months.

"The heart allows us to draw forth and manifest the power that sleeps within us. This is how we are capable performing magic. Our hearts draw forth the energy within and we can manifest it into various magical attacks," explained his father.

Xehanort nodded, eager to hear more.

"Now not only is the heart powerful weapon, but it is also capable of creating powerful weapons. These weapons are manifestations of power deep within each individual, and as such are unique to the individual. The heart draws forth that power, and manifests it into what we call an Aura Weapon," said his father.

He lifted his hand and in a flash of light a large blue crystal sword appeared in his hand. "This, for example, is my weapon Tide Breaker," he said.

Xehanort gasped in awe as he had never seen his father's Aura Weapon. Then again on their tiny island home, there were really minimal reasons for one to need a weapon in the first place. It made Xehanort wonder why his father had actually bothered learning to materialize and use one.

"Now you certainly have enough power to materialize an Aura Weapon. The real trick, however, is being able to channel that energy and focus it into a physical manifestation," said his father, shaking Xehanort from his thoughts.

He gave his father his full attention, nodding for him to continue.

"Now this is similar to using the magic we have practiced these past few months. All you have to do is dig deep within yourself and draw forward your untapped power. The only difference is that instead of manifesting it as energy based attacks you have to bring it forth and will it into the physical plane," his father explained.

Xehanort nodded and closed his eyes lifting his right hand. He concentrated his power just the same as he did when he used magic. Only this time he dug deeper within himself. To Xehanort's surprise, he had found a reservoir of power he didn't even know he had. This new found power startled him as he didn't know whether he could control it. Xehanort suddenly doubled over in pain. He tried to push it back but the power within him was already drawing forth, bouncing around his body, begging to be released.

Just as suddenly his vision began to cloud from, strained by the sheer force of the pain he was in. Everything began to spin, as Xehanort struggled to remain conscious. He tried to focus on his father, but even his father appeared distorted. One minute his father was there and the next minute he began to distort into someone else. He then morphed into a large muscular man in a black coat. The man wore a mane of messy silver hair and shared Xehanort's distinct golden eyes. Xehanort recognized the man from the dream he had that morning but could not remember his name.

The man lifted both of his hands and materialized twin blades of red. He smirked as the vision of him began to change once more. The image quickly warped into one of himself wearing the same black hooded coat that the previous man wore. The black coated Xehanort also lifted both of his hands and materialized a set of twin blades. However unlike the previous ones these were blue and shaped like the hands of a clock. Xehanort felt himself growing wearier by the second and could no longer tell if these images were real or not. Suddenly he heard the distinct sound of his father's voice.

"Xehanort! You must not be afraid of your own power bring it forth. If you do not let the storm within you run it's course it will destroy you!" his father cried, sounding very far away.

At these words, Xehanort began to recall small details of his dream from that morning. In particular, he recalled seeing visions of other worlds besides his own. For some reason, this gave him a moment of clarity. Xehanort managed to pull himself to his feet and immediately his vision cleared. Seeing his father before him Xehanort raised his right hand and willed the power coursing through him to come forward. To his surprise, a flash of energy sparked in both of his hands and twin blades of white-blue energy appeared in them. His father smiled widely and clapped Xehanort on the shoulder.

"You did it son and on the first attempt too!" exclaimed his father.

Xehanort weakly smiled back. "Yeah I did it!" he said.

With that, the blades disappeared from his hands and Xehanort passed out from exhaustion.


	3. Chapter II: Ancestor from the Outside

_"I wanna be strong one day like that kid who left. He went to the outside world. I bet he's really strong now._ _"-Riku_

* * *

In the months that followed Xehanort's skill with his Aura Weapons grew to the point of mastery. Long gone were the days that materializing them caused Xehanort great strain. He adapted quickly to dual wield combat, and soon his Ethereal Blades became weapons of deadly precision. He also learned from his father, that he was capable of using them as a conduit to focus and use magic. Though this skill was much harder to master then using the blades themselves, Xehanort soon found himself able to use powerful magical attacks in tandem with his physical combat.

His father too showed great interest in his Aura Weapons. Specifically, he was interested in the form they took. His father explained that Aura Weapons are unique to the individual and no two weapons were alike. He explained of all the many unique shapes an Aura Weapon could take, there was one form that was not unique. Ethereal Weapons were a type of Aura Weapons that were extremely rare. According to his father's archives on Aura Weapons, these weapons were associated with the divine. Their wielders had such untapped power, that when materializing their Aura Weapons, they always took on forms of pure energy. This was because a pure physical form like a sword or a gun had a finite capacity for how much power it could draw out. Ethereal Weapons had an infinite capacity and as such were the only forms capable of utilizing that power. Wielders of these weapons were quite rare, and always had a large impact on the greater world.

In his father's words this meant Xehanort must be meant for greatness.

"It's destiny!" his father would always say with excitement.

He would always have a look of pride when he explained this to the other islanders. But as Xehanort walked the beach late at night, staring out at the vast expanse of the ocean, he was reminded just how trapped he felt. On his tiny island home he was a prisoner. Trapped within the confines of his world, Xehanort failed to see what world changing destiny could possibly await him. Apart from mastering his Aura Weapons, only one thought plagued his great mind. Looking up to vast sky, and taking note of the numerous amount of stars, Xehanort once again pondered the other worlds he had seen in his dream.

There was not many details he could recall but that part was always crystal clear. For whatever reason the vision of a world beyond his own resonated with Xehanort so powerfully that it had become nigh impossible to forget. He was inflamed by the idea. The very thought that there was more for him to experience beyond these shores shook him to his very core. Though he had no proof those worlds existed he knew that they were real. He was so sure of it that it was as if the very fact was etched into his heart. He sat down and continued to stare out at the vastness of the sky above.

He made no movement as he heard a familiar set of loud footsteps approach him

"Hello, father can't sleep either?" asked Xehanort.

"How can I sleep, when my wife keeps bugging me to find out where our son, who likes to stay out late, has decided to wander off to," he said with a wink.

"Sorry father, I was just doing some thinking and lost track of time," said Xehanort.

"It's okay, just let your mother know next time. She has tendency to worry, and when she worries I end up hearing about it," said his father clapping Xehanort on the shoulder.

His father then sat down next to him as he too gazed up to the stars. As if reading Xehanort's mind his father then spoke about the very subject he had been thinking about.

"When I was your age my father used to tell me that for every star, there exists another world," he said.

Xehanort was shocked at such a confirmation from his father. Xehanort turned his head and paid his father rapt attention as he continued.

"He told me that our people's history is deeply rooted with a man who came from another world. He told me that there once was a time when all the worlds were one. However something happened that separated them," explained his father.

Xehanort was enthralled, all this time he had wondered if his vision could possibly be true, and now here was confirmation. Xehanort nodded eagerly, urging his father to continue.

"In the aftermath of the worlds separation, a man appeared on this island. He arrived with five children, and stayed here seeking refuge. He raised those children as his own and in time they began to call this place home. The people of this island welcomed them with open arms," said his father.

He paused and gazed back up towards the stars.

"Then one day the man and four of the children disappeared without a word. They were never seen again. The only evidence that they had ever been there, was the silver haired boy that had been left behind," his father finished.

Xehanort was amazed beyond belief at the reality that there really were other worlds, that his own people had history involving them. The possibilities flew through his head.

"What happened to the man and the other four children?" asked Xehanort.

"No one knows, they were never seen again. We only know that the fifth child remained here. He stayed here for the vast majority of his life, before one day disappearing himself. It's said that though he left, his descendants remain here to this very day. Although time and word of mouth have distorted which family are actually his," his father responded.

Xehanort contemplated for a moment. The males of his family had always bore the same long crop of silver hair. Perhaps his family were the descendants.

"It's not us if that's what you're thinking," his father said, interrupting his thoughts.

Xehanort smiled, his father always had a way of knowing what he was thinking.

"I've combed our ancestry more times than I care to admit and there is no link that connects us to that man," his father said with a laugh.

Xehanort laughed as well and then once more turned to his father.

"Why are you telling me all this father?" asked Xehanort.

"Because I was like you when I was your age. I too dreamed of a world that lay beyond these waters. I dreamed of the adventure and knowledge that the outside world would bring me," his father explained, letting out a long and weary sigh. "But those dreams are distracting, dangerous even. It was those dreams that almost cost me the life of your mother."

For the first time in Xehanort's life, his father wore a look of deep sadness.

"I tell you this not as a deterrent, but as a warning. Don't let your dreams become an obsession. Don't let them distract from what matters the most," he said gently.

Xehanort stared at his father then nodded.

"I understand father," Xehanort said.

His father clapped him on the shoulder his cheerful disposition returning immediately. "I almost forgot. Tomorrow is your birthday. Now that you'll be old enough I want you to accompany me on my survey of the Northern Islands," he said.

"What does that entail?" asked Xehanort.

"As an elder it is my duty to survey the unexplored islands to see if there are any resources our people can make use of," his father said, standing up and motioning for Xehanort to do the same. "Tomorrow we're going to explore a particular island from the Northern Islands. We got a long day ahead of us so let's head home and get some sleep."

Xehanort got up to follow his father but paused and took one last look up at the stars. Regardless of what he told his father his dream of seeing the outside world seemed more possible than ever. Xehanort felt deep within his heart that tomorrow's journey would be crossroads of his destiny. His entire life suddenly felt as if were building up to whatever awaited him on that day. One way or another his destiny was upon him and tomorrow would be it's first step forward.


	4. Chapter III: Destiny's Departure

_"The door has opened...The door has opened Sora! Now we can go to the outside world! Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back! But this may be our only chance! We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"-Riku_

* * *

Xehanort woke up early the next morning. He packed up some clothes and extra provisions for his journey. He then went outside to do some training with his Aura Weapons. He was working on a technique he had dubbed Peerless Slash. It was a flurry of light speed slashes that temporarily stunned the opponent. It was followed up by two jumping slashes that finished the opponent off. Xehanort had recently discovered that by using his Aura Weapon as conduit he could channel his excess power reserves to increase the strength or speed of his attacks. This new technique was the results of his discovery. After training, Xehanort returned to his house where is father was now waiting for him.

"You must be excited. I don't recall the last time I've seen you up so early," his father said with a smirk.

"Ha ha ha," said Xehanort.

"By the way happy birthday!" his father said.

He reached over and handed Xehanort a small package with his name on it. Xehanort eagerly opened it and pulled out a long gray sleeveless coat. The coat was made of extremely light material and also had a hood.

"That has been handed down from father to son for generations. It is always given when one becomes of age. It's a lot more suited for combat than that stiff vest you have on now", explained his dad.

Xehanort looked down at his vest. Now that he thought about it his vest had gotten quite tight on him. Xehanort had begun to become more muscularly developed with all the training he had done over the past few months. His vest, as a result, had grown more restrictive. He took off his vest and put on the jacket. It fit perfectly, almost molding itself to his body. Although Xehanort was not usually one for fashion, even he couldn't deny it looked good on him.

"Thanks father!" said Xehanort with a smile.

"No problem son I'm glad you like it. Now come on we have a long day ahead of us," his father said, as he grabbed his gear and prepared to head out.

Xehanort too grabbed his things and prepared to face whatever the day held in store for him.

...

Twenty minutes later, Xehanort and his father were tying their provisions down. As soon as they arrived at the docks, they noticed that in the distance dark storm clouds appeared to be gathering. As his father wished to be safer rather than sorry, they decided to secure their equipment. After ensuring that everything was safe, they set off for the Northern Islands. As they sailed, his father explained that while the East, West, and South Islands had been mostly explored, the North Islands were a largely uncharted territory. The Elders had decided the time was ripe to start exploring them. In particular, they wanted a certain island explored, one that was marked by a large statue that supposedly took on the shape of a horned creature. Xehanort kept a keen out for the identifying landmark while his father charted their course on his map. Xehanort, who was eager to find the island, would overreact to the slightest sight of movement. This greatly amused his father, who was tense with worry about the growing storm in the distance. Finally, after what seemed like hours of searching, Xehanort spotted a large stone structure mounted proudly on the forefront of an island.

"Land ho!" shouted Xehanort.

His father burst out laughing. "We're not pirates Xehanort!" his father said, still laughing.

Xehanort laughed as well knowing how silly he sounded.

"I know father I'm just excited after waiting all this time!" Xehanort said.

The two men sped off towards the island as the unknown loomed closer and closer.

...

After Xehanort and his father tied their ship to the dock, they set off to do some long awaited exploring. The first thing they set out to examine was the large stone structure that guided them here. After trudging across the large stretch of beach, they finally arrived at the structure. After getting a closer look, Xehanort found himself in awe. Instead of a tribute to some forgotten creature, like he was expecting, before him stood a magnificent statue of a unicorn. The statue depicted the unicorn rearing forward on its hind legs. His father also seemed impressed with the statue, though his interest in it extended only enough to wonder who placed it there.

His father scanned the island then spoke. "Xehanort I think we will cover more ground if we split up. I want to get this done before this storm hits us," he said, as he looked at the looming storm clouds.

"If you find anything of interest or run into trouble just cast Fire into the sky," his father said.

As if to give an example he summoned Tide Breaker and shot a fire spell to the sky.

"Just make you remain vigilant son. We don't have any idea who or what may be on this island."

With that, his father set on his way. Xehanort watched his father walk off into the distance and then returned to examining the statue. He was not sure why but he was drawn toward the structure and he felt that it would lead him into the right direction. He began to study the base of the statue circling the pedestal in which the great unicorn stood. On the front of the base directly underneath the head was a strange marking. Xehanort dusted off the marking hoping to get a clearer picture of what it was. As it turned out the image was that of a crown. It appeared to be on raised surface compared to the rest of the base. Xehanort pressed down on the crown and stepped back.

Immediately the statue started to shake as a beam of light shot from the tip of the unicorns horn. The beam flew high into the sky and shot back down hitting the statue. The structure started to tremble as it began sinking into the ground. Once the statue was completely submerged, a new pedestal began to rise its place. The new pedestal only held a glass podium. Xehanort took a closer look and saw that on the podium was a single piece of paper. The paper itself was ancient and looked as if had been torn from a book. At first, the paper bore nothing on it, but when Xehanort took a closer look, words began to appear on the page.

" _Xehanort rowed the boat into the storm, looking back at his father for the last time._

_The storm would steer him into the darkness, to a world far beyond his own._

_Beyond the storm his destiny awaited._ "

Xehanort nearly dropped the page in shock. Here on an uncharted island, untouched by man in ages, was a piece of paper with his name on it. Xehanort trembled as he contemplated what this could possibly mean. Here, right in front of him, was a depiction of events that had never happened to him. Yet here they were on a practically prehistoric piece of paper. What was worse was the depiction seemed to confirm he would reach the outside world, but at the cost of never seeing his family again. Xehanort put the piece of paper into his pocket and sunk to his knees. He wasn't sure of what to make of this newest revelation. He began to wonder if he should even hold stock of what was written on the page. For all, he knew this could be some elaborate birthday hoax played on him by his father and the elders. However, no sooner then the thought crossed his mind, rain began pouring down. Xehanort looked up and realized storm that had threatened them from the moment that had left this morning had finally arrived.

...

Dark clouds had gathered with startling speed, as heavy rain poured down like bullets. Xehanort raised his hood to give himself some form of cover. The storm's intensity quickly picked up as the wind began to blow with increasing force. Xehanort managed to gather his senses and as he did he remembered their ship was still on the dock. If he didn't want their ship to be blown to smithereens, he had to secure it better. He ran along the beach as bursts of lightning and claps of the thunder rolled through the island. He got to the ship and began working quickly to secure it to the dock. Once he was finished he got onto the ship to check to see if their provisions were secure. He double checked their equipment making sure everything was tied down. He grabbed his knapsack and pulled the piece of paper from his pocket. He was about to store it into his knapsack when a powerful gust of wind blew it from his hands and out to sea. At that same moment, he heard his father calling out to him. He saw his father running towards the ship as fast as he could. Xehanort who was normally very collected felt himself begin to panic. That page was the very key to his destiny. Without it, he would be forever a prisoner of his tiny island home. He knew it would be very stupid and foolish of him to go after it. Yet his heart was begging him with every fiber of it's being to go. Without another moment's hesitation Xehanort threw his knapsack on and materialized his Aura Weapons. Moving quickly he cut the lifeboat from the side of the ship and dropped it into the water. He grabbed the two oars and jumped into the small boat. As fast as he could he began paddling out to sea. He looked back at his father who just managed to get to the ship.

"Xehanort! What the hell are you doing?" his father shouted.

The devastation and desperation in his voice nearly made Xehanort turn back. He managed to collect himself enough to respond.

"I'm sorry father I have to do this!" he shouted.

"Xehanort get back here! XEHANORT!" his father screamed.

But Xehanort continued to row on. Tears formed in his eyes as the desperate screams of his father for his son to return echoed over the noise of the storm. As hard as it was as Xehanort rowed forward knowing in his heart he had to push on. Xehanort's skill and strength allowed him to navigate the rough waters but he was unsure of how long he could keep up with the increasing intensity of the storm. His eyes desperately scanned the waters for any signs of the piece of paper. However, if it was growing extremely difficult as the storm raged on. Just when Xehanort had begun to think he dragged himself into death's arms for no reason he spotted it. He rowed towards it hoping that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. His faith was rewarded as he managed to scoop the paper out of the water. To his surprise, however, the paper was bone dry. Xehanort scanned the paper noting it still bore the small paragraph that led him here in the first place. Unfortunately, his moment of distraction cost him dearly as a rogue wave slammed against the side of the small boat. The boat was knocked into the air as Xehanort was immediately flung from it. He clung to the piece of paper in his hands for dear life as the waves knocked him around. Suddenly Xehanort could feel the surrounding water pulling in one direction. Xehanort turned to see the water starting to swirl into a giant whirlpool. In the middle of the whirlpool was what he could only describe as a dark portal. Xehanort began desperately trying to fight the pull of the water when he remembered what the page had said.

" _The storm would steer him into the darkness to a world far beyond his own._ "

If Xehanort's heart could speak it would be screaming right now. He knew this was the moment he had been waiting for all along. With great determination, Xehanort swam towards the dark portal. Without an iota of fear he dove into the portal and felt the dark energy suck him in.

...

Once again Xehanort felt the sensation of floating in mid-air. His body was sore and he felt greatly fatigued. For a moment he wondered if maybe he died and gone to heaven.

" _No boy you are not dead,_ " said a disembodied voice.

Xehanort recognized the voice but could not place where he had heard it before.

"Where am I?" asked Xehanort faintly.

" _You currently drift the Lanes Between and are close to your destination,_ " said the voice. " _Once again you showed no fear in stepping into the darkness. For that, I have chosen you._ "

Xehanort, however, could no longer perceive what was going on and once again felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

" _Xehanort...my successor.._ "

...

"Hey are you still alive? Hey come on wake up!"

Xehanort slowly opened his eyes, and awoke to a young boy with long dark hair peering over him.

"Thank goodness you're alive I thought for sure you-" he said, stopping mid sentence as Xehanort suddenly pushed away from him.

Xehanort stood up quickly making quick note that both the page and his knapsack were missing. Xehanort tensed and quickly materialized his Aura Weapons.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Xehanort asked fiercely.

He took note of his surroundings and saw he was in what appeared to be a courtyard. Before him stood a grand set of steps that led to a magnificent castle. The boy who awoke him stepped backward and put up his hands trying to indicate he meant no harm.

" Calm down I was just trying to help," he said.

"Where am I?" Xehanort asked once more.

"This is the Land of Departure..you fell from the sky.. this..this is my master's castle,"said the boy.

Xehanort felt his Aura Weapons slide from his hands and disappear as he fell to his knees. His last thought before he passed out once again was that he had done it. He had finally reached another world.


	5. Chapter IV: Eraqus

_"Upon reflection, my life underwent the most considerable sea-change when I arrived at that place. Yes, it began when I found a Master, and another I would later call my brother—when I found a new home."- Xehanort Report I_

* * *

A gust of wind blew the ancient page into the air as a dark haired boy repeatedly shook Xehanort in an attempt to wake him. The page flew lazily in the air going higher and higher before finally landing on a balcony belonging to one of the higher towers. The page laid there for a moment before it was picked up by with a man who had just stepped out onto the balcony. The man wore an ornate red cloak with an elegant hood that covered his blonde hair. His amber eyes looked over the page with mild interest before widening with shock. He stepped forward and looked over the balcony to see his pupil interacting with another young man he had never seen before. He watched as the new arrival materialized Aura Weapons. Much to the man's surprise, the boy's weapons were Ethereal Blades. The man looked back towards the page taking in the words that had appeared on it. As he read them a look of curiosity crossed his face. There was a sudden interruption as a young man came out to the balcony.

"Master I was sent to find you. A boy he fell from the sky-"

The man held his hand up to silence the boy. The boy handed him a knapsack which held a tag on it. The tag bore only the name Xehanort. Once more the man's eyes widened; a momentary flicker of fear flashed in his bright eyes.

"Bring him into the castle. Have one of the rooms prepared," he said.

"Yes sir," said the young boy.

After the boy left the man's eyes turned to the page once again taking in what it said.

" _The ark had finally arrived at the Land of Departure. A herald to the rise of darkness._

_The shattered remains prepared to surface, all the pieces destined to appear._

_A great destiny to be fulfilled alone._

_Guided by the light of the first piece, Xehanort would continue on the path his heart had laid out._ "

"Could this mean?" the man asked aloud.

He tucked the page within his robes and walked back into the castle.

...

Xehanort came to the next morning and found himself in the comfort of a large bed. The memory of everything came flooding back to him. The torn page, the storm, and finally the arrival in a new world. Xehanort felt a pang of sadness at the realization that he may never see his family again. A lone tear slid down his cheek at the thought of his father's desperate screams for Xehanort to return. He thought about how his mother would react when his father would tell her that her only son was lost at sea. His only consolation was that he at least secured the ship and gave his father a safe way to get back home. Although Xehanort was filled with a deep sadness at his loss a part of him could not help but be excited at what he gained in return. The ancient page he found had told the truth, he had finally managed to reach another world. He got out of bed and looked around his room. Neither his knapsack or his page were anywhere to be found. He then walked over to the window and marveled at the view. Just as he presumed Xehanort was inside the castle he saw when he first arrived. He took the time to take in the magnificent landscape that surrounded the castle. He looked down and saw the courtyard that he landed on when he first arrived. His thoughts suddenly drifted to the dark haired boy who had found him. He wondered who he was. The boy had said that this was his master's castle which made Xehanort wonder if he was some kind of servant. There was a sudden knock on the door as it swung open revealing the boy from the previous day. The dark haired boy gave Xehanort a look of surprise as he spoke.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to be awake. Good to see you're not in a coma," he said with a short laugh.

Xehanort observed the boy who couldn't have been any older than fifteen. He had long black hair pulled in a ponytail with the remaining of his stray bangs that hanging over his forehead. He wore a long white hooded coat over a blue sleeveless shirt and rather large traditional looking pants. The most striking thing about him was he had a look of absolute cheerfulness that somewhat annoyed Xehanort. The boy walked over and he too looked out the large window.

"It sure is beautiful huh?" he asked.

Xehanort, however, continued to stare at the boy's attire.

"What's with the weird pants?" Xehanort asked rather rudely.

The boy narrowed his eyes giving Xehanort the notion he was extremely annoyed.

"What gives? I'll have you know this is very traditional gear. You don't see me making fun of your gray hair," he said defensively.

The boy looked had such a stern look and was so serious that Xehanort burst out with laughter. The boy looked at him for a long moment before laughing himself.

"Well I suppose to an outsider these pants are a tad bit over the top, " he said with a cheeky grin.

He put both of hands behind his head and leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry if I startled you the other day. It's not every day you see someone drop out of the sky. I was only making sure you were still alive," he said.

Xehanort crossed his arms and joined the boy on the wall.

"It's okay in all fairness I kind of overreacted," he replied.

There was a slight pause before the boy spoke again.

"So do you have a name?" he asked.

"Yes it's Xehanort," Xehanort said.

There was another momentary pause before the other boy finally addressed what was on his mind.

"So judging by the fact people around here usually travel by foot rather than falling from the sky... I'm guessing you're not from around here," he said nonchalantly.

Xehanort chuckled a bit at the boy's sense of humor.

"Yeah I guess you could say I'm from... out of town," he said with a smirk.

The boy raised an eyebrow as a curious look crossed his face.

"Well to be perfectly honest..." Xehanort said with a pause.

"The truth is I came from another world," he continued.

The boy cocked his head slightly, raising his eyebrows even further

"Really?" he asked.

Xehanort nodded. "Yeah, it's a long story."

The boy walked over to the desk and pulled out one of the chairs.

"Well I got some time to kill," he said with a grin.

In spite of just meeting him, Xehanort couldn't help but trust the boy. There was a pull kinship that he couldn't but feeling towards him. He didn't have many friends back on the islands because he always felt different from the rest of his peers. This boy was different and the similarities between the two were certainly visible to Xehanort. The ease at which the boy was able to talk to Xehanort didn't feel forced either. It was natural like they had been friends all their lives. For this reason, Xehanort sat down and told the boy his tale. He told about how he had come from the islands and the bits of his strange dream that he was still able to remember. He told him about finding the mysterious page and how it led him to row out into the middle of the sea during a storm. Finally how he crashed his boat and swam into the dark portal that somehow transported him here. After he finished the boy let out a long low whistle.

"Wow, that's quite a story. I can't decide if you're really brave, really stupid, or you just really hated that island," he said.

There was another pause between the two followed by another bout of laughter.

"Well, to be fair that was a pretty out of character thing for me to do. But when destiny calls.." Xehanort said, trailing off.

"Well I can respect how fearless you are even if that was pretty stupid," said the boy with a slight chuckle. "Although that just means I have someone else around here that is not afraid of a little danger. Unlike the rest of the stiffs around here."

With what was beginning to seem like his trademark grin he got up and extended his hand.

"Regardless of how you got here, I feel like it was meant to be. So I figure having a friend might make the transition easier," he said.

Xehanort looked at the boy with a grin and shook his hand.

"By the way, you never told me what your name was," said Xehanort.

"Oh, " he said with a slight pause."My name is Eraqus."

He stood up and motioned for Xehanort to do the same. "Come on I'll show you around," he said.

Xehanort got up and followed as the two boys set off ready for whatever adventure that fate had in store for them.


End file.
